


When the Time Comes

by GamblingDementor



Series: Post Nuclear War Apocalypse In the Heights (Camp El Barrio) [3]
Category: In the Heights - Miranda
Genre: Alternate Universe - Post-Apocalypse, Cute, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Ghouls
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-05
Updated: 2017-06-05
Packaged: 2018-11-09 03:52:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11096328
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GamblingDementor/pseuds/GamblingDementor
Summary: Let it never said that Vanessa cannot be romantic.Post-nuclear war apocalypse AU has never been this cute. Sequel to Welcome to Camp El Barrio.





	When the Time Comes

 

Let it never be said that Vanessa cannot be romantic.

 

She's heard those crap stories told to little children around a campfire when she was a girl, before the other kids went to bed and she stayed up for the scary ones. She _can_ be romantic if she wants, and more importantly if Usnavi wants. In a crowded space such as their settlement where Daniela's birdies are everywhere, however, romance is a rarity for her and Usnavi and Vanessa trusts no one and nowhere to be gossip free. In all honesty, she barely even trusts Usnavi to not tell on her more emotional inclinations − when the mood calls for it. He's been known to have casual chats with Nina about the efforts Vanessa makes to provide him the romantic crap he craves, but then who is left to deal with Nina's shit-eating "I told you so" grin?

 

No, camp really isn't practical for romantic endeavors and as much as she enjoys her life here, Vanessa misses the freedom of road relationships where there is only the sky and the dry grass to witness you give your heart away.

 

"I want a day off," she declares to the whole room she walks into, the hut that is their healing center as well as their queen Daniela's office.

 

There are a few people on the bunks − a wall fell down the other day and a few workers were injured but Usnavi heard it from Claudia that she has faith in their recovery so Vanessa isn't too worried. They eye her walk the short distance to Daniela's desk where she sits leaning back on her chair, feet on the table, smoking a cigarette.

 

"And why is that?" Daniela asks. "Elite squad members don't take days off."

 

"You gave Benny a whole month off last year!"

 

"And what is as important as the birth of a firstborn that you should be granted, huh?" Daniela smirks. "Unless Usnavi put a bun in that oven…"

 

"Oh my god, I'm not _pregnant_!" Vanessa yelps, probably a bit more frightened than she ought to be. She takes her herbs faithfully every night, thank god. No baby will ever sneak into this womb surreptitiously. If she gets one, she'll decide to. "I just… I'd like to go out a bit tomorrow. First day of the fifth month."

 

Daniela squints her eyes at her and Vanessa braces herself for the realization that is sure to come. A few seconds of stilted silence and there it is.

 

"I'm sure a little kitchen boy wouldn't happen to also desire a day off on your fourth…"

 

"This isn't no anniversary, I don't care!" Vanessa cries out, too loud. To regain countenance, she stands a bit taller, hand on the handle of her blade, back straight. She wishes she'd put on her outside boots. They give her an extra inch of height. "It's just… a day out. Together. Who cares about what day it is."

 

"So I could give you a day next week and it'd be alright…"

 

Vanessa is fuming inside but she knows by now how very much Daniela loves to see her rage and defend herself against such silly slights and she remains stoic. Daniela takes a long drag of her cigarette, staring at her. They hold up each other's gaze for a long minute before Daniela − thank god − capitulates. Shrugging, she turns to the terminal at her left and types in a few words.

 

"There," she says smugly. "Vanessa and Usnavi, first day of the fifth month, fourth honeymoon. Just you have fun when you…"

 

Vanessa storms off before she can hear the end of that sentence.

 

Daniela may be insufferable about it, still the truth is that Vanessa has a lot of fun planned for them. Planned is a strong word, of course. A simple whispered request into Sonny's ear between her security round that day, request that he can transmit to the right person, and the special gift he got just for her on his last trip to the City, and cat's in the bag. She spends her day working, her dinner with the De la Vegas and there is a charming gap between those who _know_ and her Usnavi who soon will.

 

She spends the night in her own bed, for once, and so does Usnavi. She pretends not to see how fidgety he is, anxious to ask if they will spend the next day together − he can't have forgotten, he never forgets. A long and lingering goodnight kiss is the only clue she leaves him with.

 

In her shared quarters, Ted is already sleeping, Dana is still out at the tavern at this time of day, Benny is with Nina and their little baby across the hall in their private dwelling up here and newly recruited Sealtiel is still out on the training grounds to perfect his aiming. There is no one to witness her falling flat on her bed and hiding her grin in her pillow. Deep in her gut, she also feels a little bit of fear gnawing at her but Vanessa has never been one to listen to her inner monsters. She shuts her eyes and decides it's time to sleep, and tomorrow will be as it will be.

 

She wakes up at the crack of dawn with a weight in the pit of her stomach, but she ignores it in favor of getting ready. There's not much room to look cute, but then Vanessa never really has occasion to. Her usual overalls must do, fresh from the laundry, a tight top underneath that she had made recently when she tore off the previous one in a melee encounter with ghouls, and no underwear because anniversaries don't call for them, especially not this one. Her hair loose for the same reason. She 'borrows' some perfume from Dana's vanity − sprawled across her bunk, the sleeping girl will never know −,  grabs a gun that she straps at her hip and leaves silently.

 

Vanessa hates morning but there are two things she loves about it. She loves the quiet. There's a rumble to camp during the day that ends up breaking to a pause during the night and it's just starting to trot its course again in the early morning. She walks past a couple of yawning guards eager to go to bed after a long night shift. She pauses in a small alley to pet a cat (not a shortcut by any means but she takes this route on purpose every time she goes from her quarters to Usnavi's because of this small cat) and by the time she reaches the kitchens in the almost silence of early morning, the kitchen staff is already up and at it and the other thing she loves about morning is just about to arrive. Better than sleeping in, better than a good night's rest, her Usnavi is her favorite morning owl.

 

"Pshh!"

 

In all her discretion, Carla calls over Vanessa from the side of the kitchen halls, way more secretively than needed.

 

"Carla, you don't need to make a fuss, it's just breakfast food," Vanessa rolls her eyes.

 

Carla's eyes glint with excitement and kindness and she suddenly pulls Vanessa into a hug.

 

"Ouch!" Vanessa yelps, her shoulder bashed against Carla's. "What's this for?"

 

"Oh, Vanessa!" Carla moans, swirling them into place, the bag she prepared for Vanessa forgotten on the ground. "I'm so happy for you! Sonny told us."

 

" _Sonny told you?_ Coño, I told him to not…"

 

"Just Jane and me," she clarifies immediately and that is already all better.

 

Vanessa takes the hug − contrary to popular belief, she is not opposed to a good hug coming from the right person at the right moment − and the bag and with a last kiss on the cheeks, Carla leaves her to go find her merry boy.

 

"Muñeca, Señora Rosario told me I wasn't due today, do you know what…"

 

She cuts him with a kiss − not a harsh one, she leaves the passion for later − and there it is when she breaks away, the kindness in his eyes that she'll never get tired of. That she never _wants_ to get tired of. With Usnavi, she feels like he'll always trust her and be here for her. Not something she's been able to say of many people before, but it's all here in his eyes.

 

"We're going out," she announces. "I requested a day off for us to Daniela."

 

"And she accepted?" He smirks. His hands are at her hips, tender, squeezing and keeping her close. He likes to have her close. "I'm impressed."

 

"A girl has her ways," she smiles.

 

One last kiss and she stops herself otherwise they'll never get going. She grabs his hand and out they go.

 

"A day outside?" He prattles on as they pass the gates to the dry plains north of El Barrio. "I'm so happy you rem…"

 

He trails off, suddenly uneasy, and begs for confirmation in her eyes.

 

"I remembered," she nods. "And if I didn't, Nina has been dropping hints for weeks now…"

 

He laughs nervously and squeezes her hand affectionately.

 

"Of course."

 

This part of the wasteland is relatively calm, the reason why she chose it in the first place for the occasion. Usnavi is easy to get scared. Or maybe there is ground to be scared by the beasts of the outside, that, she cannot say. She's used to them.

 

She likes to walk with Usnavi. That's not much to say: she loves doing most anything with Usnavi. And not just the naughty stuff. Any task is much more interesting when she has his eyes on her and his smile, when they talk and share and bond. He brings out things out of her that she never even knew were there. It used to be so scary. God, it still is, but bit by bit she's learned to let him into her heart and she's reassured by the perspective of a future with him. Or at least she hopes to have one. He's the only person she could ever walk with for an hour and not get annoyed. Possibly Pete. Or maybe Nina, but Nina is the mother of a child now, not a sauntering partner out in the wild. That's only for Vanessa's lover boy.

 

"Oh my god, what is this?!"

 

She can't help the smug grin off her face. She'd hoped for this reaction. She circles the machine and leans on the side of it proudly, as if she was its owner, as if anyone could claim to own an old rusty structure out here in the dry grass, miles away from any settlement.

 

"That," she says emphatically, "is a car."

 

He's still frowning in puzzlement but she gives him the time for remembering what must have been childhood stories or books from Nina's collection. Cautiously, he approaches the vehicle.

 

"A car?" He asks in wonderment. "I thought these didn't exist anymore…"

 

"Well, it don't work," she shrugs. "We found it on a scouting mission last year. I thought you might like hanging out."

 

"I might," he smiles. 

 

To Vanessa as well, the car looks pretty cool. No roof, but the seats are still almost intact and the paint has only faded a little bit, still mostly red from before the Explosions. They have to climb into it, the doors rusted and broken for most likely two hundred years, and make themselves comfortable on the large backseat. Usnavi looks genuinely impressed by the car and keeps looking around, appraising all parts of it. She lets him at his amazement and opens the bag she brought.

 

"Cool…"

 

Carla did her job, alright. Of course, Vanessa only has one favorite kitchen staff member, but things considered, Carla is probably the second best. Vanessa starts pulling all the food out of the bag Carla provided her and she's glad she trusted Sonny with this. He's got the best in into the kitchen staff. All sorts of sweets and fruit, fresh from the newest batch they gathered yesterday, and some cheese and salted meat, everything they need for a day out, all things Usnavi likes and most of all…

 

"You got coffee?!"

 

She pulls out the bottle from the bag. It's nothing fancy, an old wrinkled plastic bottle filled with the dark liquid, but it's better than nothing.

 

"Yup," she says smugly. "Well, Petie got it for me, I thought you'd…"

 

He cuts her with a kiss, hand digging into her hair passionately. She's surprised, but not unhappy. So the key to this man's heart is coffee. That's good to know. His kiss is hungry, but short-lived when he realizes how rash he's been. He looks sheepish, almost embarrassed at how much of an effect her gift had on him, but she's too far gone to even tease him anymore, damn her. This is love, finding that very special cute person who can be as silly as he wants and still Vanessa will fall for him more every day _because_ he's just as he is.

 

"Thank you," he says, grabbing the bottle from her. "Gracias. I… I can't believe I was worried you'd forgot yesterday."

 

She's not mad at the accusation − she wouldn't trust herself with that romance crap either if it wasn't for him. She searches the bag for goblets but doesn't find any. Usnavi takes the first swig straight out the bottle and she sees on his face what an idea this was. Coffee is as rare as gold, even in El Barrio, and it was months ago that she asked Pete to keep an eye out for it on his trading trips in other settlements. He did not disappoint. The way Usnavi sucks down the liquid like he hasn't drunk in years, the dreamy look he gets, savoring it even after he hands Vanessa the bottle to have a taste… And then the way he looks at her lips when she's tried it. _Of all the odd things that turn him on, this is not even in the top weirdest_ , she thinks.

 

But Vanessa has the gift to make herself wanted and she pretends not to notice how much closer he's sitting now, his hand on her thigh, the poor horny thing. When was the last time they managed to sneak somewhere hidden together? It mustn't be much longer than a few days but it's like Usnavi's body is as desolate as this wasteland, the way he's leaning against her.

 

"Breakfast?" She offers him the first peach.

 

Because there is a lot more to celebrate today than four years of good sex, she doesn't necessarily want to start the day that way. Usnavi takes the peach and the soft refusal. They settle into their seats and talk and Vanessa notices once again how much she enjoys spending time with just Usnavi. She's not much of a talker, at least not with anyone else, but they naturally find themselves talking about everything left in this world. From the ghoul raiding the fishing basins just outside camp the other day to Carla's new haircut, not to forget Benny and Nina's little baby girl (who Usnavi has already fallen hard for, from day one), the new water system Nina has designed and how Usnavi has a private shower booth for the first time in his life, that new scar Vanessa made last month on her forehead that is hopefully going to fade, the new training regimen Daniela has put the elite squad on since they recruited their last member, Usnavi's ideas for future meals when Camila grants him further responsibilities…

 

It's a life, Vanessa has realized. She's not just going through her existence here in camp blindly, mindlessly working hard in Daniela's squad and doing her job protecting camp. She's also doing her best because she knows how proud Usnavi gets when he can brag about his high ranked girlfriend's achievements to the kitchen staff. She's protecting El Barrio not just because it's right but also because there is a special kitchen boy she never wants to see hurt. And Usnavi often seems happier from talking about his day with her than from the events of his daily happenings themselves. It's a trust they've built between the two of them, a comfort no matter what.

 

"… What?" Usnavi asks eventually and Vanessa realizes she's been staring without saying anything.

 

She plays with the hair at his temple, smiles. He smiles back.

 

"You're cute," she says.

 

Her hand slides down to stroke his cheek, cup his face. She kisses him, at first slowly and deliberately, even though Usnavi wants more, craves more, an arm snaking around her waist to bring her close. They push the breakfast leftovers to the front seat and, though this isn't as comfortable as a bed, at least it's just the two of them and there's no one in the world who could interrupt them as Usnavi pushes Vanessa's legs open, makes her lie down across the seat to kiss her proper, arms encircling her head and he's always so careful with her hair, not to pull it by accident or put an elbow on it. He's always so gentle, even though she doesn't always need it. Oh, sure, he can be prickly when he's mad and he's a spiky ball of anxiety, but there is always the warm core of kindness about him that Vanessa has fallen for.

 

"I love you," he tells her, kissing her lips, her cheeks, her neck. "I love you so much."

 

Vanessa braces herself and, with one last kiss before hopefully many more to come, she pushes on his shoulders to get him off her. She searches her pockets for the treasure she's kept there since Sonny gave it to her yesterday, and a pen, and when she dares looking back at Usnavi, his face is blank with nerve. She melts and holds his cheek for a second, just enough for reassurance, for herself as much as for him.

 

"I… I love you so much," she says. "As well."

 

She has a lot more she wants to say but the words fail her. She's feeling overwhelmed and she shoves the papers in his hands rather than embarrassing herself with flowery stuff she can't express properly anyways. Usnavi's brow knits in confusion but he holds up the paper, unfolds it carefully. He's barely read a few words that his face turns completely blank and he stares at her, almost defying her to tell him it was all a joke.

 

"Marriage license?" He chokes up, disbelieving. "How did you…"

 

"Sonny got it for me," she mutters, fingers fidgeting on her lap. "For… for us."

 

"This certifies that…" He reads slowly.

 

"You gotta write your name there," she cuts him nervously. "I mean, if you… if you wanna…"

 

"Were united in marriage…" He ends.

 

He stares at her expecting her to say something, anything at all, but she's not quite sure if words are going to get anything out of them. Rather, action seems like the appropriate thing to do. She grabs the paper from his hand and applies her name to the first dotted line made for her. It's a messy handwriting she has, from when her mom taught her her letters as a little child and she never quite used that knowledge all that much, but it's enough if it allows her to be with Usnavi always. He looks like he can't quite believe she did just that but, wordlessly, he picks pen and paper and soon his name, in a much neater, much prettier print, joins hers on the page and just like that, they're husband and wife.

 

"I love you," he repeats, as if afraid she'd forgotten in the few minutes since the last time. "I… I love you."

 

He's a broken record and she doesn't even mind, because he's her husband now and nothing else seems to matter.

 

"How'd you even get this…"

 

She's told him already, she has but if he's anything like her, details don't matter and fade away from the knowledge that they're husband and wife. It's official. It's real.

 

"Sonny got it from the City," she repeats. "It's certified and all. Just had to write our names."

 

"We never get married in El Barrio!" He says. "Well, we do before God but it's just… it's a thing we say but this… We're never really…"

 

He's holding the paper like it might disappear on him, like it's a fragile dream, and in a way it is but they're sharing it together and it makes it all too vivid.

 

"Now _we_ are," she says. "Married."

 

She looks at the official stamp, the lines of it still fresh and new. She can't wait until this license is so old the words are barely legible and still Usnavi and her will know every curve, every dot.

 

"Oh my god," Usnavi says and it almost sounds like her husband is tearing up. "Oh my god, we're _married_."

 

"We're married," she smiles.

 

Carefully, as if he was afraid it would disappear on them, Usnavi puts down the document for safekeeping under the front seats, down where he can keep an eye on it. She's not sure who is going to keep the license − she'll have to run it by Daniela for sure, just for sake of administration − but she's fairly sure that, if it were up to Usnavi, he'd frame it on the wall of his room. _Shit_ , they don't even live together, him in his container dwelling with his family, her up the soldiers barracks in the elite squad hall. She'll have to request a room on her floor that they can make their own. That's a conversation with Daniela she's not looking forward to, but seeing the glint in Usnavi's eyes as he turns back to her like he never wants to see anything else in his life, she thinks she can manage.

 

"Forever," he says. "Till death do us part."

 

"Beyond that," she says on a sudden spur of romantic crap, "I'd like to see death try to take you from me."

 

And with him, she doesn't even regret being flowery like that, because he always makes up for the embarrassment she might feel about it. He's back to pouncing her, hands gripping her waist like he's afraid she'll disappear any second, shoving his tongue in her mouth like a horny teenager on his first night, but she doesn't even mind. She lets him lie her back down on the creaking seats, his hips already rubbing against hers, dick hard through the fabric. Exactly as she wanted it. She picked the location for a reason. Maybe this says something about her downfall to romantic depths as well, how they spotted the car on a scouting mission out here and her gut instinct was to think she needed to bang Usnavi right here some day. He is always, always her priority. She chooses not to dwell on that thought. There is much better to do anyways, with Usnavi's mouth devouring hers and his fingers already fiddling with the straps of her overalls.

 

"You can take them off," she tells him in between kisses and loves the adorable little whimper he gives her.

 

How he grins like before receiving a big present beyond value, she loves that, loves how eagerly he unbuckles the damn garment and pushes the shirt up for her to take it off. She removes her holster belt and drops it on the ground at arm's reach and the fun can begin for real, all obstacles off.

 

"You're my _wife_ ," he says once, twice, more, and every time Vanessa starts to take in the concept a little bit more.

 

It's been all too easy to fall in love with Usnavi and his smiles and his stupid jokes and his arms and his kind words for every person that crosses his path, especially her.

 

"You're my _husband_."

 

Done with the wraps around her breasts, they get much better covering in Usnavi's hands, touching her like the most precious, most marvelous thing he's ever seen. His mouth down at her neck, her collarbone, and he knows to soothe the aching desire burning her, toying, teasing with tongue around a hard nipple already. They've never been much for taking their time, even though today they could afford as long as they want.

 

She loves him for this, how even as she feels him rock hard against her hip he only has attention for her, playing with her, giving her so much more than he lets himself get. She tries to slide a hand down to at least stroke him through his pants but he grabs it away and, pressing a kiss on it, puts it on his head as he makes his inevitable way further down. She combs fingers through his short hair, grabbing on the verge of too tight − she knows he likes it that way. Kisses across her stomach, he knows there is only so much teasing she can take. Down with the rest of the overalls, round her ankles, he tries to pull them off but gives up after a very short struggle with her boots − they have no time to lose −, he groans when he realizes he has her all pretty and naked before him, entirely. No panties was definitely the right choice, she congratulates herself.

 

"Oh my god," he whimpers, leaning down to kiss the inside of her thighs, fingers brushing up against her. "Oh my god, you're so pretty."

 

"You've seen me before," she smirks, leaning up on her elbows. She likes to watch him at the task.

 

"Not like this!" He retorts. "Not… not as my wife either."

 

"Well," she strokes through his hair gently. "Get used to it."

 

"Never," he says and dives down to capture her clit into his mouth, sucking like a hungry boy. His fingers dip in sharply, almost rough except Usnavi is _never_ rough, two and soon three, stretching her open in the best way.

 

"Mmh, that's it…"

 

He hums into his ministrations. She brushes his hair off his forehead, wants to get a clear view because a best part of this is the love in his eyes, the endless devotion, the only boy she never wants to leave behind, not ever. Also, not so regardless, he's great at eating her out. He knows her buttons, alright. Tongue toying with her clit, circling it, having fun, fingers rhythmically pressing down, slowly in and out, he's never even been this good before, or so it feels.

 

"You're so good for me, baby…"

 

She really is so lucky to have found him, to have found a home and a boy to fill it. He gives her so much love every day, more than she thought she could handle. The sex is a cool-ass side effect, albeit one that she enjoys thoroughly. She moans, allows herself to lose herself in this. This is, by all standards, a perfect moment. The trust between them, and the calm out here, Usnavi's mouth working diligently at bringing her to climax, the first of the day at least, and their marriage license under the seat… The weather is mild and warm and there is the lightest breeze flowing through her hair as she hangs back her head over the edge of the car. Usnavi's hand reaching up, touching her breasts, softly circling a nipple, his mouth between her legs, fingers inside her, giving her body all the love she craves. She closes her eyes and enjoys what comes her way.

 

Far from the first time she has sex out here in the wasteland. Growing up tossed around the roads out there, she had to take her partners where she found them. With Usnavi as well, they haven't really limited themselves to the inside of the camp, even though they haven't gone much farther than the outer walls on occasional times she let him take her against the wall when they felt like sneaking out of camp for more privacy. This is their first time out here so far in the wild and suddenly, her ears perk up and she remembers why they don't go out all too often.

 

" _Fuck_ ," she cries out, frustrated, and sits up at once.

 

Damn this dumb land and the dumb dangers of the outside. All she wanted was a fucking nice day out with her boy and she can't even have _that_. On their fucking wedding day. But at least, thank God for her years on the roads, thank God she's learned to keep her ears open at any time on the outside. Without the walls of a settlement, her perception is the only protection they ever get against the beasts and she prefers not to imagine what would have happened if she didn't hear the distant growling of a pack of ghouls approaching the car. She shoves Usnavi down.

 

"What? You don't like it?"

 

"Ghouls," she says and she barely has the time to reach for her gun before they're upon the car.

 

Ugly creatures ruining a perfectly good moment. She sees their horrible burnt faces and prays that Usnavi doesn't. Thank God for the intensive training with Daniela. She may complain about it all she wants, but the effect of it are right here. She empties almost every bullet straight into the cracked skulls of the ghouls, aiming the best she can so her poor frightened boy feels safe. She's breathing heavily by the time they're all defeated and Usnavi is being awfully quiet.

 

"Usnavi, are you…"

 

His face is blank and he is staring at her like he's seeing her for the first time in his life.

 

"Make love to me," he whispers and turns the cutest shade of pink when he realizes what he's said.

 

She smirks. In the emotion of the fight, he's made himself tiny on the seat, cheek pressed against her thigh and she finds him shivering but an admiration in his eyes like nothing she's ever seen.

 

"C'mere," she gestures and pulls on his hands, makes him sit, all comfortable against the back of the seat. The poor thing deserves as much. "I never finished, you owe me."

 

Gun lying on the seat next to them, arm's distance in case of further interruption, Vanessa intends to still make the best of the day as she planned it. It seems Usnavi and her are of a mind. He pulls on her hips and as she settles on his lap, hands on his torso, she feels his heart running so fast she can't follow.

 

"Mmh," she kisses his cheeks, his neck. "You're all nervous, baby."

 

His hands at her waist are shaking and he is keeping her so very, very close.

 

"I'm fine," he obviously lies. "I'm… I'm great."

 

His voice is peaking a little bit and she kisses him, face cupped in her hands. She'll soothe those nerves the best way she can.

 

"Great enough to fuck me?" She smirks against his ear, nibbling on it and she loves the way his fingers grip so much tighter, hips pushing up the slightest bit.

 

"Uh huh," he nods.

 

It's all too unfair that he is still dressed and her naked. She pulls up his shirt, the skin at his stomach and torso all hot and sweaty with the terror under her palms. Pulse still racing. He shivers and lets his head drop against the back of the seat as her fingers trace back down to untie his pants.

 

"You need to relax," she tells him.

 

"Qué relax? I'm relax _ohmygod_."

 

Another reason to love him, perhaps, how she always feels like the most enticing, sexiest woman in the world whenever they come together. Barely a hand down his briefs to stroke him − turned soft by the attack but soon hard against her palm under her touches. He whimpers and presses himself up into her fist and she wishes she could immortalize his face in these instants, his eyes fluttering shut, gulping thickly, his throat exposed to her kisses. She wants to see him like this every day.

 

"Make me feel good," she demands.

 

Pushing his pants down just enough, she lifts her hips to let herself sink down onto him, relishing in the little noises at the back of his throat on her way down. He'd been waiting for this, of course, goes at it like they've been deprived for months. Her hands gripping the top of the seats around him, she lets him do the work for once, rolls her hips alongside his bucking up inside her. He's holding her tight, arms wrapped around her waist as his mouth devours her breasts, toying with her nipples, sucking hard. He's being _so good_ to her.

 

"Vanessa…" She feels his hot breath against her.

 

Once again floating on this feeling she keeps chasing, this high of being with him, except it's never been quite this high. Must be marriage treating them well. She slides a hand between their bodies to finish the job he started before, rubs her clit and feels herself so wet underneath. She was pretty close before and with the way Usnavi is doting on her…

 

"My wife," he mumbles against her neck, and it feels more to himself than to her. "My gorgeous wife."

 

"My handsome husband," she replies before capturing his mouth into a kiss.

 

A hand join hers, his fingers pressing against her clit and the pressure of him inside her, the full feeling of him sliding in and out, she can barely believe they'll be together forever. Definitely, they'll need a room of their own to be like this every day, but she'll request that for them, she'll provide. He presses down firmer on her clit, bucks up a bit more sharply inside her, gives her his everything. Her breath is starting to come short but she still takes his kisses and even as she feels herself clamping and pulsing around him and that burst of love for him in her heart, she kisses him, until his hips jerk up one long, last time as well and their first time as a married couple is over.

 

With what is not so much a moan as a squeak, Usnavi lets himself drop across the seat, eyes closed. A pretty view from up here, she thinks. She cups his face, sees his smile as she does so, leans down to kiss him so much softer than before. On any given day, they'd be pressed by time or the need to clean up all evidence, subtly making their separate way to the showers but, she realizes, this is their _wedding day_. They can do what the fuck they want. She pulls off of him − limp but probably soon to be interested in another round − and squeezes herself into the narrow free spot next to him, glued to his side, half above him. It's not all that comfortable, but Usnavi wraps his arms around her to pull her even closer. She's afraid to crush him but he simply hums in contentment when he has her all to himself, their limbs hugging tight. A kiss against his neck is answered with a kiss on her head. The sun is warm against her back, almost hot. She can feel Usnavi's heartbeat under her own, still fast but smoothing down just as rapidly. Her arms around his neck, his arms around her waist, one cheeky hand palming her butt, they're as cozy as they're gonna get. She's not sure she's ever felt this peaceful.

 

"How many children do you want?" Usnavi asks out of the blue.

 

Vanessa's first impulse would be to run away rather than answer but she forces herself still and Usnavi − of fucking course − sense her tension and rubs her back slowly, gently.

 

"We been married for like half an hour," she mutters against his neck. "Ask me again in five years."

 

He chuckles, the warm sound also vibrating through her.

 

"Sure, sure…"

 

In truth, the idea of kids hasn't so much as crossed Vanessa's mind as of yet, not really. She pauses and tries to get her mind running with it. Childhood isn't exactly her favorite part of the story of her own life and if you'd asked her five years ago, before camp El Barrio and before Usnavi, she would probably have forsaken the idea altogether. The outside is way too dangerous to bring another innocent life into it. But she doesn't live in the deadly wasteland anymore, and having children in camp… She thinks about Nina's munchkin and smiles, thinks about a little baby with Usnavi's eyes.

 

"Yeah," she breathes out. "Definitely ask me again in five years."

 

Usnavi's arms tighten around her and Vanessa faces once again a simple truth, what has kept them going so long and forever. Their relationship only has to be what they make of it. Vanessa used to think romance was something she'd never do, ever. The only things romance reminded her of were dumb people having dozens of babies, being gross in public or making out where everyone can see them. Nina and Benny haven't helped one bit with that conception. But being with Usnavi… They can be as gross as they want, but it's for them to see only. She can be herself in a way she feels she's never quite been before. As if it's in her blood to want to care for and protect someone, and now she has found that someone.

 

This is their truth together. They love each other and they'll keep showing it as long as they want, just between the two of them. Usnavi has so much passion and tenderness to give, so many dreams of what their life together is going to be. A hand rubbing her back, the other combing through her hair, he tells her everything he wants them to be, to _do_ together and as overwhelming as it is, Vanessa can't stop smiling hearing it all. They talk, and eat some more, and have sex again, this time without nasty interruption. And again, and again. It's a great morning that turns into a great day and only when the sun is starting to set, they decide it's time to head home.

 

As they walk hand in hand back to camp, ready to announce their love to everyone they know, Vanessa is sure of at least one thing about herself in this relationship. It's certain now. There's the evidence right there, the proud smile plastered all over Usnavi's face. She makes him happy. She's got this romantic crap all down.


End file.
